QuoteReplyTopic: The Anderson/Barre Split Posted: February 14 2014 at 09:57

So, i see a new Anderson album coming out...hopefully none of hte spoken word bits that made it impossible for me to listen to taab2, but i digress

is there any real knowledge out there of why ian and martin seem to have parted ways? really a terrible shame in my mind, though at least it seems ian has stopped flogging the tull name to death now that the last link to the glorious past is gone...

Barre: Yeah, well, itís not something I really want to talk about. I think the fact of the matter is, I know nothing about it. When Ian announced on the American tour last year that he didnít want to do any more Jethro Tull shows, Doane and I had no idea that he was planning to do ďThick As A Brick 2.Ē This was all stuff he had planned before he had told us anything. He told us nothing, yet, obviously, he had thought this through for a long time. It is what it is. Everybody has to draw their own conclusions.

My focus now is to carry on the name and the music of Jethro Tull in the tradition that I love and was mostly involved with: the earlier days. Iíve got nothing more to say about it. I could say this, that or the other, but what will happen will happen, and itís fine. Everybody has a right to do what they want to do in life. Itís very easy for others to be critical of decisions and directions musicians want to go in. Itís not for me to say. Iím more interested in me and going in the direction that I want to go. And itís opened up a huge area for me. And vocally, Ian canít really go there anymore. Heís looking at more flute playing. Actually, I donít know what heís looking at, but itís not the heavy Jethro Tull that I want to represent. Thatís all my territory. And I shall embrace it with open arms.

SOunds like they just kinda went their separate ways.

Edited by HemispheresOfXanadu - February 14 2014 at 10:16

"I say, play your own way. Donít play what the public wants. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what youíre doing, even if it does take them fifteen, twenty years." -Thelonious Monk

Ian Anderson once said that there would be no Jethro Tull without Martin Barre. That seems more true now than ever. The question is: Can there be a Jethro Tull without Ian Anderson? That is a bizarre thought. Will they become their own tribute band? Will there be new material? Only time and Martin will tell.

The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"

As much as I have loved Jethro Tull over the years, I think it's time to hang up the banner and start looking into other things. Retirement for Ian Anderson, unless he stops singing (or attempting to), and for Martin to make his mark as one of the best guitarists the world does not know about. A fantastic musical journey and legacy that has finally reached it's end, as everything does in due time, but I don't think they had very much left playing together. It was quite sad seeing them playing Led Zeppelin songs, when they had such an amazing discography, proving they were growing bore of their own music.

I have not heard Ian Anderson' latest vocal contributions yet, so I can't judge. but let's face it: he was never much of a singer. neither was his range very impressive nor did he hit the notes very well, and his voice was always very nasal.

that does not mean I don't like his vocals. one of my favorite vocalists is the late Robert Calvert of Hawkwind, and he could not sing at all. but the way he delivered his vocal contributions was extremely impressive and totally made up for his lacking singing abilities. you don't have to be a good singer to be a good vocalist

I would agree that Ian's losing his voice and most probably economical matters are at the root of the split. Ian likely conceived TAAB2 in his mind and saw it's potential for making some fresh cash and wanted to capitalize the profits without having to share too much of them. Music bands can be strange families, now I love you, now stick your guitar's neck in your ass (I may have to do the same with my flute but that will be less painful ).

I have not heard Ian Anderson' latest vocal contributions yet, so I can't judge. but let's face it: he was never much of a singer. neither was his range very impressive nor did he hit the notes very well, and his voice was always very nasal.

After some surgery on his throat back in the 1990s I think his voice has become a lot deeper, which means that he can't do quite the same vocal melodies before. As a result he needs a second vocalist to sing the higher parts when performing old material in the live setting.

Doesn't really bother me, though, but as you can see a lot of people think different.

that does not mean I don't like his vocals. one of my favorite vocalists is the late Robert Calvert of Hawkwind, and he could not sing at all. but the way he delivered his vocal contributions was extremely impressive and totally made up for his lacking singing abilities. you don't have to be a good singer to be a good vocalist

See also the late Rozz Williams of Christian Death, while in an ostensibly very different genre his vocal style reminded me a lot of an evil Robert Calvert. (right down to affecting a similar accent, despite being American!)

I have not heard Ian Anderson' latest vocal contributions yet, so I can't judge. but let's face it: he was never much of a singer. neither was his range very impressive nor did he hit the notes very well, and his voice was always very nasal.

After some surgery on his throat back in the 1990s I think his voice has become a lot deeper, which means that he can't do quite the same vocal melodies before. As a result he needs a second vocalist to sing the higher parts when performing old material in the live setting.

Doesn't really bother me, though, but as you can see a lot of people think different.

that does not mean I don't like his vocals. one of my favorite vocalists is the late Robert Calvert of Hawkwind, and he could not sing at all. but the way he delivered his vocal contributions was extremely impressive and totally made up for his lacking singing abilities. you don't have to be a good singer to be a good vocalist

See also the late Rozz Williams of Christian Death, while in an ostensibly very different genre his vocal style reminded me a lot of an evil Robert Calvert. (right down to affecting a similar accent, despite being American!)

It definitely seems(key word here is seems)that Ian and Martin had some sort of falling out. It's unfortunate but sometimes musicians just go in different directions. From what I understand it was the record companies idea for him to do a TAAB 2 album but Ian chose to pursue it as a solo project rather than a JT one.

I do feel lucky in the sense that I was able to see JT live while the band were still active back in 2008. I saw Ian solo about two years prior to that and that show was actually just as good(if not better)than the JT show.

Falling out or not, if they're both still healthy, eventually Barre/Anderson will return. They always have and probably always will, separate projects or not. We've all been putting up with Ian's diminished voice since the late '80s, you take it or leave it.

Falling out or not, if they're both still healthy, eventually Barre/Anderson will return. They always have and probably always will, separate projects or not. We've all been putting up with Ian's diminished voice since the late '80s, you take it or leave it.

I appreciate your optimism but really you never know. They might return or they might not. Gentle Giant never returned and neither did the Beatles. Led Zeppelin kind of did but not for another album. The same thing with the Who. So who knows what will happen. It seems neither Ian nor Martin even know.

It's not optimism, it's a consistent pattern, and Tull are not facing what Zep, Beatles or the Who did (essentially death). Just look at the Barre/Anderson history-- if anyone wanted to bet me they wouldn't be back I'd take that bet in a heartbeat.

Saw Martin Barre at Bath Komedia late last year. I looked around and managed to count the people there. Couldn't have been much more than 60. He had a great guitarist playing with him. A French bloke - really nifty. It was a Sunday night mind - and the weather was sh*t.

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